Happy Lords day to you my friend . It's a blessing to enjoy this day to the full. It reminds us of the day our Lord Jesus made sure our stands with the Father. Once again let's rejoice in the Lord for such grace.
This morning I want us to talk about something of great importance in the Christian faith. It's about the narrow way and the narrow gate.
"Matthew 7:13-14 "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it."
Now, these two things are very clear from the passage. 1. Only the narrow way and gate leads to heaven. 2. The broadway and gate lead to hell. It's upon these salient points that I would like to expound to you the need to stay in the narrow path and the narrow gate.
1. ONLY THE NARROW WAY AND GATE LEADS TO HEAVEN.
Often times I get into argument with most Christians. I have no idea who preached to us that other religions like Islam, Hinduism, Catholicism, and Mormonism. prepare people for heaven just as christianity does. There is only one true religion and that Christianity.
Anyone who is not following the truth of scripture and not walking according to the commands of Jesus has no part with him. The bible is clear. "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate" and I have no second thought about it. When it comes to heaven, not all paths lead there. Unlike hell which may have many broadways to it. There's only one path that leads to heaven's gate and it's only through this gate that one can enter into the Celestial City.
Jesus is the true Gate
"John 10:7-8 so he explained it to them: "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them."
If Jesus is the gate, then only his religion must be the true religion and only his followers can enter his abode. The kingdom of God doesn't accommodate any belief at all. Those who deny the truth of scripture cannot be in that place. Those who have the desire to enter there start behaving like it's citizens on earth as God works in them and prepares them for that inheritance. "1 John 3:3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure."
One either believes or perish. For "There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son." John 3:18.
2. THE BROADWAY AND GATE LEADS TO HELL
We now have the opposite of the method of entering heaven. Instead of the narrow way and narrow gate, some have chosen shortcuts to enter there. But only those who can endure the struggling from the narrow way can find this Celestial City. There must be troubles along the way. There must be persecution. There must mortification of the old self. That's why the way is narrow. It has no space to accommodate vanity. No space to allow the pilgrim to cling to possessions in this world.
The one on that path walks like a stranger in this sinful world and waits eagerly to be translated into eternity. That's his life. Unlike the one walking on the broad path, he has his treasures laid in heaven. He has his gaze on the cross and the world behind him. The highway to hell can accommodate everything temporal the world offers. Many are those who desire to walk on it because it feeds their flesh all its cravings. It makes the flesh comfortable.
The world encourages more people to choose the broadway. On that broadway, the sinner feels comfortable. There is no truth-telling, nothing is called sin, everything is right. Those who walk on it feels that they need no savior. The Gospel is foolishness to them. There is no difficulty on that path. It's a highway to hell.
Which one will you choose dear one? Jesus is ready to snatch you out of the broad way to the narrow way where you'll have eternal life in him. Examine your life to see if you're on the right path.
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